


Be the Man

by amamiya_toki



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 12:48:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13764519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amamiya_toki/pseuds/amamiya_toki
Summary: Tired of waiting for her boyfriend of three months who stood her up, Izumi Iori was about to leave the restaurant when a boy her age with red hair came barging in, not just to save her from further embarrassment, but also into her life.





	Be the Man

**Author's Note:**

> This was born from the same root idea as orpheusheart's ["Missing Tiger, Knightly Dragon"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13764258) (the RyuuSou version), born as a result of spamming this with her and Nezu Dango, who drew a short strip of her own take on the RikuIo pair. 
> 
> Original idea is from tumblr, circulating in [a post around facebook](https://www.facebook.com/RolePlayingMultiverse/photos/a.1996703087230264.1073741828.1996694283897811/2094512690782636/?type=3&theater).
> 
> Title is after Celine Dion's song of the same name.

"He's late…" 

I looked down at my watch for what was probably the seventieth time that evening. 

It was a Friday night, and I was supposed to be on a date with my boyfriend. He was unusually late, and because it seemed like it was going to rain I decided to wait for him at the restaurant. An hour and fifteen minutes had passed, yet he had yet to show up. I sent him many messages and tried calling him, but there had been no reply and answer. 

"Miss, are you ready to order?" 

The waitress came by yet again to ask. I felt bad that I was occupying a seat for such a long time without making an order, especially on a busy evening. 

"I'm sorry, could I just have a bit more time? The person I'm waiting for should be here any minute now. If you don't mind, may I have another cup of chamomile tea?" 

"I understand." 

I could feel how there were many glances sent my way, many of them were of pity. They probably thought that I got stood up. 

Which, was probably… no, definitely the case. 

For a person who thought of herself as smart and perfect, I certainly was quite stupid. 

My boyfriend, whom I had been dating for three months, was my senior in college. He was just a year above me and we were taking the same major. We met the freshmen's welcome party, where he first spoke to me. Often compared to fashion models because of his good looks and stylish dressing, he enjoyed social events and was popular amongst many girls. 

He was the complete opposite of me, who keeps my distance from other people. Many people would describe me as cold, perhaps uncaring, but that was just how I was. 

Because of that, it was not surprising that he was the one who took the initiative to ask me out. 

Initially, I rejected him the same way I did with many others, as I disliked people who carried themselves in a frivolous manner. However, he was persistent, and I begun interacting with him outside of school when he dropped by my parents' shop regularly. I had to bear with him because he was a customer, but slowly I felt myself being affected by his charms. 

When he asked me out for the third time, I agreed, despite knowing how many have talked about him being a playboy and other similar rumours that were circulating within the school. 

At that time, I was still naive, convincing myself that rumours were just rumours and not the truth. 

Our first month was, for the most part, normal. We went on dates, to the movies or out for meals, once a week. Friday nights after class became our special time together. On our third date, we shared our first kiss by the sea. Before that, I did not believe that love and romance was something special. However, it was unlike anything that I had felt before. 

However, when he asked for sex on the date after that, I felt something was off. Not at that moment, but after some introspection. At that time, I had rejected him, saying that it was too early for our relationship to progress that quickly. 

He tried asking the same thing on our subsequent dates, but I was not easily swayed. I rejected him each and every time he brought up the matter, and I could see the displeasure growing on his face when I did. He eventually gave up after a month of asking. 

Sex was not the only thing he gave up asking. Usually, he would be the one who would initiate our dates. However, after I kept rejecting him, he stopped asking altogether. I had to be the one who asked if we were meeting and deciding what to do instead of discussing it. The first time I asked, he agreed but showed up late without notice. The second time, he turned me down, saying that he had other plans. It was the same for the third time. 

This time, he did agree to meet, but as you can see, he clearly had no intention of coming. 

It was frustrating, not because he stood me up, but because I had foolishly chosen to believe in him. I was aware that he only dated me because he saw it as a challenge, as I was seen as an 'untouchable flower'. What he wanted was not my heart, but simply the status of being able to conquer something that everyone else had failed to. He only has interest in my body, not me. 

Even my older brother, who had heard about him from my friend, warned me about it. 

Yet I still trusted him and now had to suffer the consequences. 

How stupid of me... 

Looking down at my watch again, I noticed that the restaurant will be closed in over an hour's time. 

Since he is not going to show up, I might as well leave... 

"Hey!" 

As I stood up to leave, gathering my things, I heard a loud voice that seemed to be directed at me. I looked up to see that it belonged to a red-haired boy around my age, who was approaching me. 

"Sorry that I'm so, so late. The traffic was really horrible, you see, so the taxi was moving really slowly. My phone was dead too, so I couldn't contact you at all. Could you forgive me?" 

Who...? 

I was so stunned that I could not say anything. I could not even move, baffled by the person who is now standing right in front of me. When he took a step forward, bringing his face close to mine, I almost flinched. I thought he was going to kiss me on the cheek, but he was simply doing that to be able to whisper in my ear. 

"Just go along with this, please?" 

He took two steps back afterwards, and I nodded my response to him. He gave me a wide smile, one in a manner that reminded me of an innocent child, and sat me back down at the table. 

"Come now, I know it's late but let's get something to eat!" He spoke in an energetic, upbeat tone as he took the seat opposite me. "I'm starving, but I bet my adorable girlfriend is now totally famished from having to wait so long. As an apology, I'll treat you to dinner, so don't be mad at me, okay? You can order dessert too if you wish!" 

I could only watch in bewilderment as he picked up the menu and rambled on about what he should eat. None of his words made any sense to me, but that was because I was still unable to grasp the situation in its entity. 

I was still in a confused state when he had called the waitress over to place our orders. 

"I'll have a hot honey-lemon drink, and the mixed berry pancakes!" He placed his order before looking towards me, prompting me to give my order. 

However, I had not thought of what to order and was at a loss. He noticed this immediately and swiftly asked, "Shall I choose something for you, then?" 

"Ah... yes, please..." Those were my first words to him. 

"You don't hate pasta, right? But you're not that good with spicy stuff so I'll just get you the carbonara. We can always order your dessert later, right?" 

His question was directed to the waitress. "If it's before the time for the last order, it should be fine!" 

"I see! We'll just have that first." 

"I understand! Honey-lemon, mixed-berry pancakes and carbonara, one each, coming up!" 

The waitress left us, and we were left alone again. 

At this time, the restaurant was starting to get empty, seeing how it was getting late. There were only a few couples around, each of them in their own worlds. 

"Hey! Hey, you okay?" 

I had not realised that he was calling out to me. 

This person... he did not seem like anyone bad, but I could not help but be suspicious. I have never met anyone like him, and I mean this both figuratively and literally. He just showed up out of nowhere, pretending that he was the person that I had been waiting for... but how did he know that I was waiting for someone? 

In the first place... 

"Who in the world are you?" 

"Eh? You mean I didn't introduce myself?" 

"You didn't even mention your name. How am I supposed to know how to address you?" 

"A-Ah! I'm sorry!" 

This person... was he a klutz of sorts? 

"Izumi Iori." 

"Eh?" 

"My name. Izumi Iori. It is only polite of me to introduce myself if I expect you to do the same. And you are?" 

"Nanase Riku. Pleased to meet your acquaintance!" 

This was how, on that chilly winter's evening exactly a week before I turned nineteen, I met the man who would become my boyfriend and eventually, my husband. 

**\- to be continued -**


End file.
